Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation (MCC; Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Masayuki Waga) today announced that its world’s first bio-based polycarbonatediol (PCD) “BENEBiOL™” has been adopted as a raw material for “Ultrasuede® BX”, an environmentally friendly non-woven material with a suede texture launched by Toray Industries, Inc. (Toray; Head office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President: Akihiro Nikkaku) This marks the first use of a bio-based PCD as a raw material in suede-like artificial leather.
In general, PCD is used as a raw material in polyurethane and polyester, and because of its superior durability, the PCD based polyurethane is used in artificial and synthetic leathers, automotive interior and exterior paints, and plastic coatings for electronic devices.
“BENEBiOL™” is the world’s first bio-based PCD introduced by MCC in April 2015. Use of a unique raw material derived from inedible castor oil results in a polyurethane that features superior soft texture, flexibility, and strength, compared to the use of any other PCDs in the conventional market.
MCC aims to actively promote the development of its business in environmentally-friendly and bio-based high-performance materials including “BENEBiOL™”. Supplying “BENEBiOL™” for the development of environmentally friendly non-woven material with a suede texture enables us to provide new value. MCC will continue to develop bio-based materials including performance polyol* and to create a resource-saving and recycling-oriented society.
*A compound with more than two hydroxyl groups. It is used mainly in raw materials for urethane. “BENEBiOL™” and other PCDs are types of polyol